Yosemite- A family road trip

Ian and I are opposites. He is a romantic, I am a realist. He says up and I will say down. Luckily this works and balances out our lives. But it can make planning a trip hard. Ian has been away working off and on for the past month. The kids have been sick and last weekend the girls and I took a road trip to Yosemite to visit my family. It was our first time there and it was spectacular. Ian always told me that the world speaks to him the loudest through nature so I thought this perfect place to show him, for a little inspiration in life.

He returned home on Thursday and on Friday morning I asked him if we could take the 4 hour drive back to Yosemite. We had a weekend line up of fun events in LA and Ian wasn’t sure if we should skip them. He was concerned about work and everything else. I could tell I needed to make this decision for the family. We needed to go. At 3 pm we loaded into the family van and hit the road.

For the kids, I packed several movies to watch and some dry erase boards for them to color on in the back seat. I drove the first half of the trip so Ian could work. We arrived late in the evening, just the perfect time to put the girls to bed. Also on a side note, Penna stopped wearing her Goodnites at night, and has been accident free. I was so worried about the hotel beds, and her having her first accident that I packed the Goodnites bed pads, and hid it under the sheets just incase she had an accident! Has anyone done this before?

We woke up late the next morning and after a mountain cooked breakfast we headed into the Sequoia Forest. Ian had never seen a Sequoia Tree before. The girls and I had only the week before. We hiked quietly through the forest (with two whiny kids.) Some moments I wondered if this was a good idea, as I was constantly reminding the kids to watch their behavior and to stop whining. I sometimes feel like half of what we do as a family is trying to keep the kids under control! When we arrived at the largest Sequoia I remembered why we were there. We sat silently and peacefully together amongst this 2700 year old living thing. We talked about all the people who had to have passed it in it’s lifetime and how insignificant our lives are in comparison to it. Its’ beauty and energy were breathtaking.

After the long hike we headed back to Bass Lake for our last night before heading into Yosemite Valley. We all cuddled in bed like a classic family vacation. In the morning we hit the road. It was about an hour and a half drive from the Sequoia Forest. With more whining about “Are we there yet?” every 5 min, we were beyond relieved to get to the Valley View. The most amazing view of the mountains of Yosemite. It was the girls first taste of cold and our little Penna was freezing. We stopped for a quick picture and took in the fresh air.

We spent the next two days hiking to every waterfall, running through meadows and picnicking in the valley between the mountains. The girls searched for rocks, road their bikes and Ian and I sat and watched peacefully. We relaxed for the first time in over a year. Nothing to do, no where to be and nothing to rush. After a year of health scares and sickness our family needed this place. A place with no timing and no stress. No internet and no negativity. It was just us. Happy and together and ready to go home to our peaceful little spot in Hollywood and be thankful.

Gorgeous pictures and what a beautiful week-end! You’re si right : it’s very important to have time for familly and just us without Internet (even if it’s difficult!). This summer, in july, my husband, our two daugthers (2 and 5 yo) and I have spent a week in mountains (in Alpes in France – 8 hours drive from our home) with lot’s of hikings : baby was in our back and the taller walked as us. It was sometimes difficult but she walked well, we are proud ! (And after we went a week to the sea to relax 😜!). We would like to come in California/Arizona/Utah for all the magical parks but we are waiting that girls are taller – summer 2015 we went in NY and Miami (girls were 1 and 4) so now we dream of west 😉